What to prepare for your architectural photo shoot

The most common thing clients tell us before a shoot is that they are not sure how to prepare. What should be done before we arrive? What does not matter? What can derail a session that looked ready?

After 12 years and 150 documented spaces, we have a clear answer. This guide covers everything you need to do — and a few things you do not need to worry about.

The week before the shoot

Your most important job in the week before is to finish the space. Photography cannot hide an incomplete renovation, a missing light fixture, or a surface waiting on a final coat. We shoot what is there, not what will be there — so anything that matters visually needs to be done.

Walk the space with this in mind: if someone were seeing it for the first time, what would they notice? The things that catch your eye as incomplete are the same things the camera will find.

The day before

Clean every surface, including the ones you do not think of. Fingerprints on glass, dust on architectural details, scuffs on baseboards — the camera sees all of it. A thorough clean the day before means you are not scrambling to wipe down a windowsill while we are trying to set up a composition.

Clear unnecessary items from the space. The goal is to show the architecture, not the accumulation of living in it. Books, personal photographs, chargers, small appliances on countertops, seasonal items that have not been put away — these should be removed or stored. If you are unsure about a piece of furniture, leave it. Large furniture is yours to decide; small objects should be edited down.

Check every light bulb in the space. Architectural photography usually works with a combination of natural and artificial light, and a dead bulb in a key fixture can throw off a composition entirely. Replace anything that is out, and make sure the colour temperature of your artificial lighting is consistent throughout — mixing warm and cool bulbs creates colour casts that are difficult to correct in post.

The morning of the shoot

We arrive early. That is not a figure of speech — we typically come to a location before the scheduled start time to walk the space without any setup pressure and understand how the light is behaving that morning. For you, that means being available to give us access and answer questions, but not needing to be on site the whole time.

Park any cars that would appear in exterior shots. Arrange for the space to be empty of people unless we have discussed including someone in the shoot. Keep pets in a separate area — movement during a long exposure causes blur, and the sound of a pet moving through the space interrupts the quiet that architectural photography often needs.

Make sure all windows can be opened if needed, and that you have access to all the rooms we discussed during the briefing call. A locked room discovered on shoot day delays the whole session.

What you do not need to worry about

Styling. Unless we have discussed it in advance, do not hire a stylist or stage the space in a way that is inconsistent with how it is intended to be used. Architectural photography should capture the space as it was designed — not as a showroom. Over-styling is one of the most common ways clients accidentally work against the shoot.

Weather. We monitor conditions in advance and will let you know if the forecast is a concern. Some of the best architectural photographs come from overcast days, which produce soft, even light without the hard shadows that bright sun creates. Trust the process.

Perfection. We are there to document what was built and designed, not to show something that was never real. Minor imperfections that are part of the authentic character of a material or a space are often what make the photography compelling. If something genuinely needs attention, handle it before the shoot. Everything else the camera will interpret.

A note on the collaborative part

The best results come from a real briefing conversation before the shoot. We want to understand what the project is, what decisions were made and why, what you hope the photography will communicate, and where the images will be used. That conversation shapes what we prioritise on the day.

If you have a project coming up and want to talk through how we would approach it, get in touch through the contact form. We work with architects, interior designers, developers, and homeowners — anyone who has built or transformed a space and wants it documented properly.